Shipping crate or receptacle.



no. 650,360. Patented May 22, I900. w. H. ADDISON.

SHIPPING CRATE 0R RECEPTACLE.

ZZZ/4 V a wv UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. ADDISON, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOiVA.

SHIPPING CRATE OR RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,360, dated May Application filed December 8,1899. Serialllo. 739,591. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. ADDISON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping Crates or Receptacles, of which the followingisaspecification,referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in shipping crates or packages, the object thereof being to provide a cheap, strong, and convenient receptacle wherein various classes of articles, especially perishable articles, such as fruits or flowers, may be shipped with safety, which receptacle is preferably collapsible or may be folded to occupy a minimum of space for the purpose of returning the same to the shipper for further use.

It is the practice at present in shipping many articles of the general character described,'such as bunches of bananas or bouquets of flowers, to employ shipping-boxes of light cheap material that are used but once, but which are not best adapted for the purpose named. When more substantial crates are used, the charges for shipment greatly add to the expense of use. I have therefore designed a crate or shipping-receptacle which is admirably adapted for the purposes indicated and which at the same time is collapsible or capable of being folded fiat, permitting it to be readily stored or forwarded for further use.

The device of my invention maybe briefly described as consisting of supporting uprights, preferably of wood, which are united by wire coils, forming a i-eceivingchamber,

within which coils is disposed a protective covering in the form of a textile bag.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawin gs, wherein- Figure 1 illustrates inside elevation a crate embodying my invention which is open for the purpose of receiving any desired commodity for shipment; and Fig. 2 illustrates said crate folded fiat, adapted to be stored or returned to the consignor.

The same letters of reference are used to designatelike parts in both of said figures of the drawings,

The uprights a a, which are preferably constructed of hard wood, are provided with laterally-extending supporting-brackets b, designed to maintain the crate upright when in its open position. A continuous spiral coil of wire cis provided between the said uprights, which coil is substantially of the same height as the uprights. This coil serves to form a protective casing'for the commodity which is supported within the same. Suitable con nections (l, which in smaller sizes of my device may be staples driven into the uprights and in the larger forms are bolts or U -shaped plates secured to the uprights, are provided to connect the separate coils or convolutions of the wire with each of the uprights, which are disposed at the opposite ends of the diameter of the cylindrical crate thus formed. The connections d permit of a hinge-like movement of the said coils, so that the crate may maybe collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2. When thus folded or collapsed, large numbers of said crates may be packed closely together for the purpose of storage or returning to the original consignor for further use. "When open, a bag e, of some suitable fabric-such as muslin, burlap, or canvas and preferably of the same size as the spiral coil 0, is stitched within said coil to numbers of its eonvolutions and forms a protective covering for the contained fruit or other commodity which is suitably supported within the crate for shipment.

It will be seen that the device as thus constructed is strong and light, is capable of repeated use, and admirably serves the purpose for which it is designed.

Obviously the shipping-receptacle of my invention may be constructed of various sizes to suit the requirements, of different materials, and of suitable shape. It will be seen that the convolutions may be other than circular, and the same may even consist of rings, of metal or other material, suitably secured to the uprights, and that they may be disposed at any desired distance from each other, while the uprights may advantageously be made of metal and any suitable means be employed for supporting the device in its open position. If desired, the crate may be painted or enameled to protect the parts from dirt and moisture.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the specific structure herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore desire to claim the same, together with all such modifications as may be made by more skill and are by law implied.

I claim, therefore, and desire to secure these Letters Patent, the following:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with supporting-uprights, of. a collapsible protective frame provided there between and hinged at intervals upon said uprights, forming the walls of a receivingchamber, and a protective covering disposed therein, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with uprights a, a, of a spiral wire coil disposed therebetween forming the protective Walls of the shipping-chamber, and a protective covering of suitable textile material disposed within the said shipping-chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a collapsible shipping-crate, the combination with uprights a a, of a coil of wire (I disposed therebetween forming the protective walls of the receiving-chamber and having hinged connection with the said uprights, and a protective bag of muslin, canvas or the like formed of a substantially-continuous coil or spiral suitably supported or stayed at intervals along the sides of said receiving-chamber, substantially as described.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a crate 0r receptacle of the class described having a receiving-chamber formed of a coil or spiral of a relatively-heavy gage of wire, the convolutions of which form the protective walls of said chamber, the said coiled wire being mounted to permit the device to be folded or collapsed, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this 10th day of November, 1899. f

IVILLIAM II. ADDISON.

IV ituesses W. A. DUNN, G. A. CLARK. 

